On January 1, 2024, a new National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard became effective. This new standard is titled “NFPA 1900 Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Vehicles, Automotive Fire Apparatus, Wildland Fire Apparatus, and Automotive Ambulances”.
NFPA 1900 replaces the previous NFPA 414, NFPA 1901, NFPA 1906, and NFPA 1917.
The new NFPA 1900 standard maintains most of the emergency warning light requirements from the previous standards, but there are some changes to be aware of.
UPDATES INCLUDED IN THE NFPA 1900 STANDARD
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Inclusion of Automotive Ambulances
The previous standards that NFPA 1900 replaces, did not include requirements for automotive ambulances. These vehicles are now included, and therefore can be equipped with emergency warning systems that are comparable in equipment and performance to similar systems that fire departments have used for their apparatus for many years.
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Night Mode/Dimming of Warning Lights
The new NFPA 1900 standard allows for the characteristics (optical intensity) of the warning light system to change (dimming) based on day/night conditions, but the long-standing minimum optical performance requirements from prior standards have been maintained.
To further clarify the use of additional features of warning light systems, the Annex of the new standard provides additional guidance on the use of these features in order to minimize the affect that the high intensity of warning lights can have on nearby passing motorists. See the Annex of NFPA 1900 for more information.
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Use of Green Warning Lights on Apparatus
In NFPA 1900, Green warning lights have been added as a permissible warning light color. However, the optical energy from any green lights that are utilized may not be included in zone total optical power calculations. This means that any light energy from the green lights will be incremental to the warning light from light sources that combined to meet minimum performance levels. Additionally, any green lights utilized must meet the chromaticity requirements of SAE J578 to comply with the new standard.
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Zone Certification for Minimum Optical Performance
The new NFPA 1900 standard has added language that now allows for the certification of all eight warning zones (Upper and Lower Zones A, B, C, and D) independently. This provides departments with the ability to use equipment from various manufacturers on their vehicles, as long as they can, at minimum, certify each zone separately or certify all the zone requirements as a total.
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Change to Minimum Flash Rate
The flash rate of any optical source shall be between 60 and 240 flashes per minute (fpm). The previous standards had a low flash rate of 75 fpm.
BENEFITS OF LED LIGHTS NOW INCLUDED IN THE NEW NFPA 1900
Technological advancements of LED lighting in the emergency warning light market contributed to the NFPA committee introducing this new and updated NFPA 1900 standard.
LED lights increase visibility and provide more intense lighting with less power draw demand on the vehicle electrical system. In the past, incandescent lamps were limited in intensity by the size of the alternator on the truck and the NFPA standard sought to ensure lamps were bright enough to be visible in the daytime while competing with sunlight. Today’s LED technology produces much more intense lighting that greatly exceeds the old minimum standard. This LED technology is considered in the NFPA’s guidance added to the NFPA 1900 annex, for those departments wishing to adopt a night mode feature.
In addition, LED lights provide versatility for multicolor configurations and a variety of flash patterns in a compact size. While the NFPA 1900 has added Green as a permissible color, it is not included in the standard’s minimum lighting requirements.
Combining a long life of 50,000 to 100,000 hours, to reduce the replacement interval, with the durability of a solid-state device to withstand rigorous roadway conditions, LED lights provide benefits every department can use when specifying and purchasing warning lights for fire and ambulance apparatus.
PARTNER WITH A TRUSTED MANUFACTURER FOR PURCHASING SPECIFICATIONS
While departments may have experience creating specifications for fire apparatus and ambulances, Federal Signal works to provide its customers with the knowledge and support for making purchasing decisions that conform with the NFPA 1900.
The value of working with a manufacturing leader of innovative equipment and warning lights can ensure your department specifies equipment designed to keep workers, first responders and our communities safe and secure. Visit our website to find your regional sales representative for the Fire Market.
KNOW THE STANDARDS
As they say, knowledge is power. Become familiar with the newest NFPA 1900 standards and download a copy of the full standard. This is a great starting point to work smarter, faster, and collaboratively in identifying the equipment required for fire and ambulance apparatus, ensuring both new and old equipment conforms to the latest NFPA safety standards. When questions arise, Federal Signal’s experienced and knowledgeable sales staff are ready to assist and provide answers to ensure purchasing specifications conform with the new NFPA 1900 standard.